Fire door or shutter.



E. H. McCLOUD.

FIRE DOOR 0R SHUTTER.

APPLlCAllON FILED NOV. 26. M3.

1,256,915. Patented Feb.19,1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET &

WW1. M 31 7 gmuemfoz 1V1 {names E. H. McCLOUD.

FIRE DOOR 0R SHUTTER.

APPLlCATlON FILED NOV. 26, 1913.

1 ,256 9 1 5 Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

if 1/6 16 m 0 $14110 HTO'L E. H. McCLOUD.

FIRE DOOR OR SHUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26. 191 3.

1,256,915. Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3- WQL,

E. H. McCLOUD.

FIRE DOOR 0R SHUTTER.

APPLICATION HLED NOV-26,1913.

' Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

E. H. McCLOUD. FIRE DOOR 0R SHUTTER.

APPLICATION EILED.NOV. 26. I913- 514 0c whoa EdwamZHM Cloud PatentedFeb. 19,1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

OZLWP raw MQZZMJ/ Q vwmeooeo M a/v.4 a a/v/Q ar an AFT. are.

EDWARD H. IMOGLOUD, 0F COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 THE KINNE MANUFAC-TUBING COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPDRATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

FE DOOR 0R SHUTTER.

To all whom e't-may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. MoQLoUD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Columbus, in the county of Frankl n and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in F1re Doors o rShutters, of which the followmg 1s a spec1- fication.

The objectof thi invention is to rovide improved means for manually anautomatically operating doors or shutters particularly fire doors of therolling type and including a flexible closlng curtain.

Parts of the invention, however, may be useful in connection with othertypes of doors or shutters.

The invention is embod1ed in the examples herein shown and descrlbed,the features of novelty being defined in the clanns appended to thedescription.

In the accompanying drawmgs Figure 1 is a front elevation of one side ofthe construction.

Fig. 2 is an-edge view.

Fig. 3 is a front view on a larger scale, but broken out horizontally,and showing some details in section.

Fig. 4 is a front v1ew on a larger scale of the mechanism forautomatically closing the door.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line m-m Fig. 4 looking down.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line yy Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a modlfication of the mechanism shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section on the line .e-z Fig. 7

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are rear s1de and sectional views respectively of thecontroller or governor for the means for automatlcally closing the door.

Figs. 12, 13 and 14 are top, rear, s1de and vertical sectional viewsrespectively of a modification of the controller or governor for themeans for automatically closing the door.

In the views 15 designates the flexible closing member which isordinarily constructed of jointed slats and 16 the drum or barrel towhich the curtain is suitably attached, said drum or barrel beingsupported in suitable end brackets 17. The curtain slides at itsvertical edges in suitable guides or channels 18 at the opposite sidesof the Specification of Letters I'atent.

I Application filed November 26, 1913. Serial No. 803,141.

Fatented Feb. 119, 1913.

door way. The barrel contains a spring 16 suitably connected with onebracket 17 and the barrel, as usual, for counterbalancing the weight ofthe curtain to make it easier of normal or-manual operation. 19 is ashaft fixed in the opposite end of the barrel and on this shaft, in theinstance shown, is fixed a spur gear 20- engaged by a pinion 21 on astud 22 fixed in the bracket, said stud also having a miter gear 23.Mounted at that side of the doorway where is located the miter gear 23is a vertical or upright shaft 24 having at its upper end a miter gear24 engaging the said miter gear 23. Inclosmg the lower end of thevertical shaft 24 and mechanism thereon is a box or case 25 having aremovable cover. Pinned on the lower end of the shaft within the box 25is a crown bevel gear 26 engaged by a bevel pinion 27 having aconcentric spur gear extension 28. The bevel pinion and spur gearextension are conveniently formed as one casting, and they are journaledbetween a stud 29 and a bracket 30 secured within the box 25. The spurgear 28 is engaged and driven by a spur pinion 31 on a shaft 32 whichcan project at one or both ends through the box and can be turned bymanual power through a handled crank 33 applied at either or both endsof the shaft (see Figs. 1 and 2).

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 4, 5 and 6 the lower end of theshaft 24 within the box freely supports to turn on the shaft a spurlgear 34 having its upper side provided wit clutch teeth 35, and belowsaid member on said shaft is supported a winch collar 36 also free toturn on the shaft and between and to said members 34 and 36 is secured astrong coil sprin 37. Of course, the shaft can also turn within thespurgear 35 and winch collar 36.

Secured within the box is a cylindrical reservoir 38 having a contractedopening 38 at its lower end and containing a plun er head 39 fittingtherein. Said head 39. as fixed thereto a screw 40 threaded through aU-shaped head piece 41 secured by a boltto the upper end of thereservoir. Be-

tween the parallel horizontal portions of the U-shaped head and axiallythreaded to turn on the screw is a pinion 42. This pinion is engagedbythe spur gear 34 so that if the spur gear be turned by the releasedtension of the spring the spur gear will tend to turn the pinion 42 onthe screw 40 and drive the screw and its plunger head 39 downward. Butnormally the descent of the plunger head is opposed y a fillin of sand43 held within the'lower end of t e reservoir 38- below the plunger headby means of a closure 44 on a lever 45 fulcrumed at 46 and held up toclose the opening at the lower end of the reservoir by means of a wire47 running upwardthrough the box 25 over a pulley 48 across and in frontof the upper portion of the door to the opposite bracket 17 where it ismade fast, as seen at 17 The wire 47 contains one or more links, as at47", fusible by a dangerous rise of temperature, such as may be causedby incipient confiagration, so that in such event the wire 47 issundered and the lever 45 released to permit the discharge of the sand.

In practice the spring 37 is kept normally wound up and under -tensionready to function as hereinafter explained. The spring 37 is wound upafter the plunger head 39 has been elevated and the reservoir below saidhead filled and closed by stretching and properly connecting the wire 47as described. After this a winch bar (not shown) applied to one of theholes 36 in the rim of the winch collar affords a convenient means forturning up the spring to the proper tension to drive down the curtain. Ashort pin 48 inserted in one of the holes of the winch collar andabutting against a lug 49 on the box holds the spring from unwinding atits lower end and the resistance of the sand in the reservoir restrainsthe spring at its upper end until released by the melting of a fusiblelink.

Still referring to the construction shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 thevertical shaft 24 is provided between the bracket 30 and spur gear 34with a sliding clutch member 50 splined to the shaft so that it shallrotate with the shaft. This clutch member 50. is provided with teeth 51to engage the teeth 35 of the spur-gear-clutch-member 34-35, but saidclutch member 50 is normally held up disengaged from thespur-gear-clutChmember.34-35 by a bifurcate lever 52 fulcrumed at 52,said bifurcate lever being supported in elevated position by the wire47. The arms of the bifurcate lever 52 are provided with small rollerbearings 54 pressing against the lower side of an angular flange 50projecting from the clutch member 50 so that said clutch member can turnwith the shaft 24 when the latter is turned either in manual orautomatic operation. The upper side of-the clutch meinber is providedwith a coil spring 55 abutting at 'its upper end against the bracket 30and tendlng to press the clutch member 50 downwardso as to insure itsengagement with the companion spur-gear-clutch-member 34-35 when thefusible link of the wire 47 is melted. The

wire 47 between the bifurcate lever 52 and the lever 45 is provided witha coil spring '47 tocompensate for inexactness in the length of theportion of said wire connecting said levers to insure a thorough closingof the discharging aperture of the sand reservo1r.

In Figs. 7 and 8 is shown a modification jacent ends of the teethof thegear and the pinion be beveled to insure their engagement when thefusible link of thewire 47 is melted. In this modification a differentarrangement of the sand reservoir is shown, it being arranged in linewith the axis of the coil spring. The two constructions are, however,essentially the same.

' In Figs. 12, 13 and 14 is shown a modification in the sand reservoir.In this instance the screw instead of turning in the piston or plungerhead can be fixed with said head,

loose on the screw so that the plunger head is moved by turning thepinion as will be well understood.

The operation is as follows: The counterbalance spring 16 balances thedoor for normal manual operation, said operation being effected byturning one of the handled crank arms 33 at the box. By turning one ofsaid crank arms the shaft 24 is turned and the and With thisconstruction the pinion 42 is curtain carrying barrel rotated and thecurtain wound or unwound according to the direction the crank is turned.The spring 37 does not interfere with the manual operation when the dooris set for automatic operation. For manual operation the clutch at35--51 for automatic operation should be kept disengaged.

Assuming that the curtain is up and the spring 37 wound up and theapparatus set for automatic operation as described said spring, uponthe'melting of the link in the wire 47, as by the occurrence of fire,will rotate, subject to the control of the governor, the shaft 24through the clutch 50 or its functional homologue and thus cause thecurtain automatically ,to descend and close.

a In this descending or closing operation the speed of the curtain isalso retarded by frictional engagement of the pinion 42 or 42 with thehead piece above, said pinion being forced by the reaction of the screwagainst said head piece. Because the friction thus generated varies withthe speed of the descending curtain or increases with the closing of thedoor or shutter,

acceleration thereof there is provided an effective brake automaticallyadapted to the speed of the curtain for regulating and controlling itsdescent.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the door is shown as arranged on the face of a wall butthe invention can be built into a wall and be largely concealed underplaster, but when the c011, gearing and vertical shaft-are under plasterthe cover of the box is left flush with the wall so that it can beremoved to afford access to the parts without damage to the plaster.

A fluent material other than sand can be used in the controller, butsand is advantageous because it does not requ re close shop work andpacking as where a l1qu1d is used. Furthermore sand is not subject toclimatic conditions, such as cold to freeze, and it does not corrode theparts.

The forms and proportions of the parts can be changed in respects otherthan those particularly described without departing from the gist of theinvention as claimed.

What I claim is:

1. A fire door or shutter comprising in combination, a curtain,'ahorizontal member on which the same is wound, an upright shaft operablygeared to the. horizontal member, means for manually operating saidupright shaft, a tension member for causing said tension member beingnormally disconnected from said upright shaft, means for operativelyconnecting said tension member to said upright shaft, and thermallycontrolled means for holding said tension member disconnected from saidupright shaft.

2. A fire door or shutter comprising in combination, a curtain, ahorizontal member on which the same is wound, an upright shaft operablygeared to the horizontal member, means for manually operating saidupright shaft, a tension member for causing the closin of the door orshutter, said tension mem er being normally disconnected from saidupright shaft, means for operatively connecting said tension member tosaid upright shaft, thermally controlled means for holding saidtensioned member disconnected from said upright shaft, and means forautomatically controlling the action of said tension member on saidupright shaft.

3. A fire door or shutter comprising in combination, a curtain, ahorizontal member on which the same is wound, an upright shaft operablygeared to said horizontal member, means for manually operating saidupright shaft, a tension member for causing the closing of the door orshutter, said tension member being normally disconnected fromsaid'upright shaft, clutching devices for operatively connecting saidtension member to said shaft, and thermally controlled means for holdingsaid clutching devices disengaged.

4. A fire door or shutter comprising in combination, a curtain, ahorizontalmember on which the same is wound, an upright shaftoperatively geared to said horizontal member, means for manuallyoperating said upright shaft, a tension member for causing the closin ofthe door or shutter, said tension mem er being normally disconnected onwhich the same is wound, an upright shaft operatively geared to saidhorizontal member, means for manually operating said upright shaft, atension member for causing the closin of the door or shutter, saidtension mem er being normally disconnected from said upright shaft,means for operati'vely connecting said tension member to said shaft,thermally controlled means for holding said tension member disengagedfrom said shaft, and a governor or controller for said tension memberactuatable by the tension member through said shaft when the same isoperatively connected with said shaft.

6. A fire door or shutter comprising in combination, a curtain, a membercarrying the same, a shaft standing at an angle to and geared to saidcarrying member for manually actuating the same, a tension member forcausing the closing of the door or shutter, said tension member beingnormally disconnected from said upright shaft, a governor or controllerfor regulating the operation of the same, and thermally controlled meansfor releasing said tension member to actuate the curtain.

7. A fire door or shutter comprising, in combination, a curtain, amember carrying the same, a shaft standing at an angle to and geared tosaid carrying member for manually actuating the same, a tension memberfor causing the closing of the door or shutter, said tension memberbeing normally disconnected from said upright shaft, a governor orcontroller for regulating the operation of the same and thermallycontrolled means for releasing said tension member to actuate thecurtain through said shaft.

8. A fire door or shutter comprising in combination, a curtain, a membercarrying the same, a shaft standing at an angle to and geared to saidcarrying member for manually actuating the same, a tension member forcausing the closing of the door or shutdisconnected from said upright saft, a governor or controller for regulating the operation of the same,a casing having a removable cover inclosing said tension member and thecontroller or governor and thermally controlled means for releasing saidtension member to actuate the curtain through said shaft. I

9. The combination with a fire door or shutter, of a governor orcontroller for regulating the operation of the door or shutter,

' having a discharge outlet, a closure for said outlet and thermallycontrolled means for holding said closure in position to prevent thedischarge of the granular material,

EDWARD H. MoCLOUD.

Witnesses:

ANNA TERESA KING, ALBERT A. RUsn.

